Shock-lifter.



J. P. SMITH.

SHOCK LIFTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 11. 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

J. 1?. SMITH.

SHOGK LIFTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 11. 1906.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET Z.

' Witnesses.

Inventor J. P. SMITH.

SHOCK LIFTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. 1906.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INUEZNTEIF? ml non-ll "III! 68.. yuum. i

UNITED STATES Pa iihlld'if FFllCiil.

JEHIEL P. SMITH, OF FROBISHER, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-TWEN- TIETH TO HENRY STEWART MARTIN, OF ALAMEDA, CANADA, AND 'lHREE-ELEVENTHS TO CHARLES SETH CHAPPELL, THREE-FOUltflfilflNTflS 'lO ERIC 0. CHAPPELL, AND ONE- EIGHTH TO MILES MCCAY, OF OXBOW, CANADA.

SHO CK-LIFTER To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEHIEL P. SMITH, of the village of Frobisher, in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, farmer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock-Lifters, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to agricultural implements, of the class more especially adapted for the gathering, lifting and carrying the shock or sheaves from the field to the thresher, and the object of the invention is to provide a strong, convenient, and serviceable shock lifter, which will do away with a great deal of the excessive draft and also give a speedier and less ex ensive means for handling the shocks than 'ias heretofore been employed.

It consists essentially of an inclined platform, combined carriage and drive wheels to the rear, swiveled wheels toward the front, pivoted adjustable fingers extending forwardly and downwardly from the frame, a rotatable shaft extending across the front, a

frame work supported from and extending across the front, and around the platform, gear wheels rigidwith the rotatable shaft, friction clutches in engagement with the drive wheels, sprocket chains connecting the friction gears with the shaft gears and means for operating the friction gears and the fingers, all arranged andconstructed as hcreinafter more especially described.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my complete invention parts being broken away for the sake of clearness. Fig. 2, is a rear elevation of the shock lifter parts being omitted for the sake of clearness. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the parts enlarged as compared with Figs. 1 and 2, while Fig. 4 is an elevation partly in section of Fig. 3.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

A is theinclined platform, which is suitably supported on longitudinal and transverse cross beams A A and may have its upper face completely covered or lined with galvanized or sheet iron, in order to make a smoother and stronger surface.

B is a shaft extending completely across below the rear of the platform, and is rotatably supported from bearings in the beams.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 11, 1906.

Patented April 27, 1909.

Serial No. 325,685.

B are carriage wheels at either end of the shaft B and rigid therewith.

C is a rod extending forwardly across the platform and secured at its ends to the platform. It is to be understood that such rod is practically in a line with the platform and extends therebeyond.

C is a shaft bearing in the side arms C of the rod C and it extends across the platform slightly in front of the forward cross beams.

D are fingers pivotally supported on the shaft C passing outwardly over the rod 0, and are equal in length and parallel the one with the other. D is a second cross rod placed between the rod C and the shaft C and passes directly below each of the fingers. The end fingers 1) are secured at their inner ends to the shaft C and have the rod 1) rigidly fastened thereto, and the successive lingers normally rest upon the rod 0.

The front of the platform is cut away leaving alternate openings E and projecting portions E. into and through the openings the fingers D extend. In order that the implement may better withstand the requirements of the work for which it is adapted, the projecting portions E may be formed from a heavier metallic strip than the cover of the platform proper, and when such strip is put in place the portions R will be turned at their outer end over the rod C, the back part of the strip being secured on the outer face of the platform.

F is a metallic strip passing across the plat form and toward the front, and has its ends F turned upwardly and outwardly to form bearings for a swivel wheel G. The position of the strip and the dimensions of the swivel wheels are such that the fingers I) normally rest on the ground or slightly above. If it be desired the swivel wheels may be done away with and shoes placed beneath the platform, but I prefer the wheel.

H is a roller bearing in the shaft il which is supported and slidable within extending arms H extending from the upper and lower faces of the platform.

I is an operating handle loosely pivoted from the side beams and fulcrumed by a pin I from the shaft H Means are provided for fastening the free end of the handle in any required position. The object of such a roller will be explained hereafter.

J J are posts secured through the platform and extending vertically upward around its outer edge, and the forward set J are somewhat higher than the rest in order to allow the free passage of a shock therebetween. J J? are a series of reinforcing trestle rods, and J is a strengthening cable extending across between the front posts. The rods J pass forwardly beyond the front posts J and form at their ends a bearing for a shaft K.

K is a gear wheel rigidly secured to the crank shaft K, and the said shaft is so formed that the body K lies to one side of the pivots in the rod 5*.

L is a friction drive on the main shaft B, and L is a friction clutch normally held in engagement with the drive by a spring L involving the shaft.

M is a gear wheel intricate with the friction clutch and M is a sprocket or gear chain communicating the motion of the clutch gear to the eccentric shaft gear. If necessary the friction clutch, the friction drive, and the sprocket wheel and chain may be duplicated on the opposing side of the platform.

N is the ordinary form of spring seat supported from the central beams which extend to the rear of the platform.

N are uprights secured to the beams having a cross bar N dependent therefrom.

O is a wheel centrally supported from the bar 1 and having a groove extending around its periphery, and ratchet teeth 6 disposed circumferentially therearound to the inner side of the groove.

P is an operating handle secured rigidly to the wheel and it is to be understood that such handle is easily accessible from the seat of the operator.

P is a spring or gravity pawl suitably supported in engagement with the ratchet teeth.

P is a foot lever pivoted from one of the uprights N and directly connected with the pawl by a rope or wire P Secured diametrically opposing within the channel on the wheel are a set of cables or ropes Q, which ass across and forwardly along the frame eing guided by loops Q secured to the frame; the other end of the rope is fastened to the outer extremity of the end fingers D R is a foot lever within convenient range of the seat and is connected by a rope or wire R directly to the eye extending from the friction clutch.

It is to be noted that the fingers D D have their forward or free ends formed preferably in the shape of a shoe or simply rounded.

The actual operation and use of the implement is as follows: The shocks when gatheredhave to be picked up and carried from various parts of the field, and are generally carried direct to the thresher by several teams of horses with the ordinary wagons.

To decrease the number of teams and also to save a great deal of unnecessary manual labor my implement is provided. The Whifi'le trees are attached by ropes or chains through the eye R In pulling over the field the pitch of the machine is such that the fingers just clear the ground in front and the motion of the carriage wheels re volve the shaft K. The driver or operator from the seat N, has full control of both the height of the fingers and also the rotation of the shaft K. when approaching a shock it passes between the horses to the front of the machine and is picked up by the fingers. The operator governs if necessary the rotation of the shaft K so that after a shock has reached the fingers the revolving shaft catches the shock somewhere below its center and pushes it rearwardly up on to the platform. Successive shocks are loaded by a similaropera-tion, the first being forced backwardly by the ones following it. t is to be noted that the driver by means of the foot lever B and the connecting wire R can throw the friction clutch out of engagement with the driving clutch, and in so doing stop the motion of the shaft'K, and, that, immediately upon releasing his foot from the lever the friction clutch engages the driver. Such is necessary in order that when approaching the shock the shaft K may be gaged in its rotation so that it will catch the shock below its center. It is further to be noticed that owing to the particular suspen sion of the fingers D D that any of the indi vidual fingers D may raise themselves to clear a knoll or such small obstruction, and in cases where it is necessary to raise all the fingers such may be done by the movement of the handle P, which raises the end fingers D and necessarily those D.

I wish it to be understood that the implement may be made as shown in the drawings, that is, with the long side to the front, or reversed and with the narrow side to the front. My reasons for making the machine in the form shown is that it is preferable in smooth or level country, but the other form would be more serviceable in less level country, and where roads or highways are more prevalent.

In the wide form the roller H is adjustable, in order that when the machine is taken on the highway the carriage wheels B may be thrown out of commission, and the complete frame drawn from the side on the swivel wheels G, and the rollers. It may also be found necessary to provide an attachment at the front of the machine under guidance of the operator for further raising it from the ground if the adjustment provided by the lever does not suflice. Such may be attached to the swivel wheel and of any convenient form.

Although I have shown one method of a railing to the platform, a crank shaft carried by the railing and above the fingers, and

, means for revolving and controlling the revolution of the shaft, as and for the purpose specified.

In a device of the class described, the combination with the rear carriage wheels and the platform of the main shaft rotatably supported from the platform and rigid with the carriage Wheels, adjustable fingers extending forwardly and dowmvardly from the platform, a set of swivel wheels supporting the platform forwardly, a railing extending around the upper face of the platform, a crank shaft carried by the railing and located above the fingers, a gear wheel on the shaft, a friction drive on the main shaft, a friction clutch normally engaging with the friction drive, a sprocket wheel integral with the friction clutch, an endless gear chain connecting the gear wheels, and means for disengaging the clutch with the friction drive, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination with the platform and its supporting wheels of a series of yielding fingers, end fingers extending forwardly from the platform, means for controlling the vertical ]position of the end fingers, a reinforcing railing extendlng upwardly from the platgers, and means for controlling the rotation of such shaft, as and for the purpose specified.

i. In a device of the class described, the combination with the carriage wheels and a metallic sheeted platform carried thereby of an outer rod extending forwardly across, and beyond the platform, said platform having alternate open and projecting portions therein adjacent said rod and said projecting portions passing over and around said rod, said rod having side arms, an inner cross rod hearing within the side arms of the aforesaid rod, and below the platform, a series of fingers pivoted to the inner cross rod and extending forwardly through and beyond the o )enings and over the outer rod, a rod centrally disposed between the aforesaid rods and secured at its extremities to the end fingers, and means for lifting the end fingers, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a platform and the forwardly extending end lingers, of uprights supported by the rear of the platform and centrally disposed, at cross bar secured to the uprights, a ratchet wheel rotatably sup ported from the cross bar, a wheel rigid with the ratchet wheel, an operating handle secured to the wheel, a ratchet engaging the ratchet wheel, a foot lever controlling the j ratchet, and a set of operating ropes connecting the fingers with the grooved wheel,

as and for the purpose specified.

JEHIEL P. SMIll-l.

Witnesses:

M. A. SOMERVILLE, l GERALD S. lioxnunon.

form, a rotatable crank shaft above the 1111- 

